Making a Short Film: Start to Finish

Learn how to make your own short film. Explore the basic elements of screenwriting, production, and directing.

Learn how to make your own short film. Explore the basic elements of screenwriting, production, and directing. This comprehensive beginner’s course is for anyone who has good ideas that they want to share with the world. Writer, director, and producer Avi Glijansky teaches the theory, skills, and core craft of visual storytelling for the big screen. Learn how to write your scripts; manage cameras, lighting, and sound; and work with actors. Plus, find out how to plan your production and keep your set running smoothly.

This course was created by CreatorUp. We are pleased to host this content in our library.

Introduction

• Create your own short film

1. Script

• Where to look for ideas
• Is your idea a story?
• Character
• Mapping the script structure
• From skeleton to outline
• Screenplay format
• Writing the screenplay
• Rewriting and revisions
• Preparing the rest of your production

2. Camera, Lighting, and Sound

• Script analysis and breakdown
• Understanding visual storytelling
• Part 1: Shots and shot composition
• Part 2: Elements of shot composition
• Camera movement
• Part 1: Shots working together
• Part 2: Audience emotion
• Lighting
• Sound
• Production design, costumes, hair and makeup

3. Preparing Your Production

• How to approach prepping your production
• Creative challenges
• Technical challenges
• Producer’s challenges
• Take a list of you
• Budgeting
• Scheduling
• Assembling your crew
• Locations

4. Working with Actors and Preproduction

• Casting
• The producing side of casting
• Rehearsals
• Working with actors on set

5. Production

• A typical day on set
• Coverage
• Make the pages
• Communication efficiency
• Common logistical issues
• Planning for post-production